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Friction modifiers in oil, and fuel economy

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 8:22 pm
by steptoe
Never really given much thought to friction modifiers that were/are sold as an oil additive and any perceived fuel use changes.

Once upon a time there was Castrol GTX friction modified oil that engine rebuilders warned no warranty if you'd run your engine in on it coz it would not allow rings to bed in _ I guess in a way they knew or believed it to work then ? eh ?

The line been dropped some time ago.
A few years ago I bought some Wynns

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friction proofing additive not for retail sale, had the lid removed but seal still in place, made in USA.
It was cheap enough to believe in :D

I used a dose in the last oil change of my EA81 Brumby and only just thought about its inclusion when thinking about economy I have been getting lately

517 km ~ 60.2 litres
517km ~ 60.5 litres
500km ~ 56.6
498km ~ 55.7

my use seems to be so close within 300 to 600 mls difference over same distance for each fill at same bowser all LPG
Maybe it is just better than my other EA81 doin' consistant 540km to 70 litres ??

Friction modifier ??

Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 9:29 pm
by Gannon
Wynns friction modifiers, now that brings back memories.

At my grandmothers house, my dads old room, was his dressing table with Wynns stickers all over the mirror.

Were friction modifiers just early prototypes of what synthetic oils are now?

Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 8:34 am
by steptoe
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I guess synthetic oil does not bond or penetrate metal components so not the same.
I used to use Slick50 coz I could get it cheap, had some great reports of 'miracles' like a rally car dumped all its engine oil and continued to finish many kilometres later in a place - ran Slick pryor to the oil dump.

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 3:42 pm
by Shenleyinoz
Hi Team, I'm new to this forum, this is my first post. Friction modifiers:- best not to use them, I'd suggest. The reason is that the components in them may well upset the chemistry of the original lubricant, which of course includes friction modifiers, anti-wear additives (or EP additives if a gear oil), anti-foamants, pour point depressants, viscosity index improvers and more...... So there is a bit in lubricants. I sold AMSOIL in NZ for 20 years, so if you need a technical iscussion on lubricants, lubrication, filtration etc, please ask, I'll see what I can dig out of the grey matter.

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 4:42 pm
by thunder039
welcome to the forum! im sure your knowledge of lubricants will be valuable

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 7:33 pm
by NachaLuva
G'day Shenleyinoz :mrgreen:

+1
I'm very wary of adding anything to oils that have millions spent on them in R&D.

Sorry Steptoe but I dislike Wynns. IMO they spend more on marketing than product development. Some of their products are downright dangerous to your Subies health, esp things like radiator stop leak.

Its not just Wynns though, many car products are sold the same way as many fishing lures...they are designed more to catch the fisherman than the fish! :rolleyes:

Posted: Tue Jan 10, 2012 10:02 pm
by steptoe
First time I have ever used it, but it is a bit like buying choccies cheap and have them sit around a while - gotta use it up :)
With the old EA81 it is tough as old bots so no harm should come to it and its belly full of 20W50 Castrol shh, first time I have used castrol in longer than I care ... 29 years !!

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 10:08 am
by Subyroo
I used to religously use Morey's Oil Stabilizer in a 1986 VL Commodore and the bore in that engine at 275,000 odd kms was as good as new. I cracked the head at that distance.

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:43 pm
by El_Freddo
G'day Shenleyinoz!

Any good 4wd'n out daylesford way?

Sorry for the hijack!

Cheers

Bennie